You Don't Know My Name
by minimerc
Summary: Ch 9 up NaruHina. Alternate Timeline. "They would make it through this and she would not hold them back." By coincidence, they met. But by choice, they stayed together. Will Naruto ever understand his feelings for Hinata? Will Hinata ever confess?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I dun own Naruto, or its characters. 

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You Don't Know My Name 

One Hyuuga Hinata hid behind a large tree, admiring her crush. Uzumaki Naruto is his name. He was training himself, away from the hateful eyes of the Konoha villagers. 

The girl looked to the sky and frowned. She never did understand why they hated him so much. Sure, Naruto pulled planks on people, but, as far as she could recalled, the villagers hated him even before that. Her own father expressed that she should not get involved with the fox-like boy. 

Her gaze softened as it returned to the blonde haired boy. They never tried to see Naruto for what he was. And he was a great, strong person. 

'Stronger than I could ever be.' Hinata thought, not bitterly, just as if it were true. The boy before her had faced so much more pain than she could probably comprehend and yet, he just became even more determined to become Hokage. That was what she liked about him the most. She wished that she could have that type of determination. During the Chunnin Exams, with him watching her, she was able to have the strength the stand up to Neji-nii-san. 

She was able to share some of his power and strength. Because of that, she felt that she had changed, just a bit, but changed none the less. She felt more confident and secure with herself. She was no longer ashamed of her weakness, she excepted it and strived to make herself stronger. To make herself more like him.

She had become a little bit bolder. That was how she was able to cheer Naruto up before the main matches. She was glad to be able to help him in any way she could. He, after all, had helped her change for the better. He was her inspiration, her shield that protected her from the depression that plagued her, even if he didn't know it. 

He made her feel like she was a real person, not just the heir to the Hyuuga name. He treated her like a normal person, like a friend. He didn't care about her status in society or about his, for that matter. 

He was bold, loud, a little stupid, rash, stubborn, clumsy, a little impolite, and did things his own way. Completely opposite from her, and yet, they seemed similar. They both wanted to be recognized for who they really are. They both wanted to be strong to prove others wrong, for him, it was everyone, for her, it was her family.

She had been watching him for a long time. Long before he even knew who she was. He probably forgot who she was by now. 

A small smile appeared on her face. She knew that he would never forget anyone, especially those he called his friends. And he called her his friend. He stood up for her against Neji-nii-san, or so she was told by her little sister, Hanabi.

The boy stopped moving. His back rose up and down as he panted. He then stood up straight, "Who's there?"

The poor girl was startled, but regained her composure as she stepped out her hiding place from behind him. He turned around and looked at the girl. A confused look came over his face.

"Hinata?" 

"Gomen, Naruto-kun…I-I didn't mean to interrupt your training……"a fresh blush spread across her pale cheeks. 

The boy cocked his head to the side, still looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

The girl gulped as her blush grew heavier. She found herself playing with her fingers, a habit she picked up when she was embarrassed. "Ano…..I…I was…I was passing by and I saw you training…so I…" she grew quiet.

He gave her a weird look before excepting her story. She was wearing her normal fighting outfit and looked as if she had been training. He knew that he could trust the girl. "Well why didn't you say something?"

"Ano…." her lips moved but no words came out.

He gave her a quizzical look. "Hinata, you really should talk more." he declared before his stomach growled. As an instinct, he scratched the back of his head out of embarrassment, chuckling softly. The girl blinked repeatedly. She had never heard someone's stomach growl that loudly before. Her thoughts were interrupted when Naruto began to speak again.

"I'm going to Ichiraku to eat some ramen. Hinata, you wanna come?" he said with his foxy grin.

'Naruto-kun…?!' her eyes widened, still focused on the ground, as she found it hard to breathe. Did that mean he was asking her on a……

The blond misinterpreted her silence for unwillingness. His grin disappeared but his stayed shut as he frowned a little. "Oh well. Ja ne, Hinata." And with that, he began to walk away. 

"C-Ch-Chooto matte, Naruto-kun." she called after him, causing him to stop for her to ketch up. When she did, she resumed to play with her fingers while replying softly, "I-I would like to go w-with you."

He grinned at her, "Great." He was thinking about asking the girl to buy ramen for him, but hey, at least she was willing to accompany him. It would be rude to ask her for two favors.

And so they went to the Ichiraku Ramen Bar and had some ramen. Hinata had only one bowl of shrimp ramen while Naruto devoured four bowls of miso. Hinata watched in amazement. She had never seen someone eat so fast. 

'He always seems to be able to make me smile.' she thought as she giggled lightly causing Naruto to shoot her a confused look.

'What a weird girl Hinata is.' he thought to himself as he slurped the last of his ramen up. He thought he would never be able to understand women, and boy, was he right. 

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Oi, that was random. The title has nothing to do with the story…It's just one of the theme songs for NaruHina parings. It's "You Don't Know My Name" by Alicia Keys. ^^;;; I think it's kawaii. Anyways, yeah, my first Naruto fic. Got to love his foxiness! Ja ne

~minimerc 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or its characters.

_You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 2: Naruto's Thoughts_

He sighed as his eyes adjusted to the light that fell upon his face. It was morning too quickly for the boy's taste as he rolled over, trying to block the sunlight from his eyes. In his quest to return to dreamland, he moved so much that his body became awake. Shocking blue eyes opened slowly as their own rose from his bed. He grumbled a few offensive things to no one as he went to his closet and pulled out his infamous orange jumpsuit. Only true men could make orange look good. On that thought, the boy smiled his foxy grin before making his way to the bathroom to shower before he faced the world.

Ten minutes later, he reappeared out of the bathroom, dressed and smelling spring clean. His nightclothes and cap lay limp in his arms along with his sleepiness. Being so peaceful and quiet was never Naruto's thing. He always wanted to be noticed.

As the blond haired shinobi tidy the small mess he made the night before with his midnight ramen raid, he remembered a certain dark haired girl that he had eaten with the night before. She always seemed so quiet and so red. The girl had little confidence in herself, he noted. She always looked so fragile, but Naruto knew otherwise. After taking that near fatal beating from her cousin, Neji, the foxy shinobi knew that Hyuuga Hinata was strong. A lot stronger than she gave herself credit for.

The blonde dumped the last of the cup ramen containers into the trash bin before setting himself down for a nice healthy breakfast of…ramen. The kid just couldn't get enough of the stuff. He said his grace before breaking apart his chopsticks and digging into his nice size cup of ramen. He slurped his noodles in a slow, contemplating pace.

People had a common misconception that about who he was. Most, if not all of the adult villagers of Konoha thought of him as the demon fox that was sealed within his stomach. Those in his own age group, plus their jounin instructors, thought of him as a loud, cocky, stupid, dirty, always hungry, short boy that had the dream of becoming Hokage. Of course having a bottomless pit for a stomach was true plus he was pretty loud and he was short for his age and he dreamed about becoming Hokage, but the rest none of them bothered to prove wrong.

To all of them, he had proven that he was worthy of their respect, but none of them really wanted to know his true self. No one except Hinata, that is. She had seemed very interested in his over exaggerated tale of the Wave Country he told her over a few bowls of ramen. Her eyes shown with something he was not used to seeing directed towards him, admiration.

This thought caused him to pause. In fact he saw the same thing in her eyes when she was facing Neji in the Chunnin Exam Preliminaries. When she looked up at him with those eyes, he froze. He was overwhelmed. No one had ever shown so much respect for him throughout his whole fourteen years of living. From that point on, he had recognized her. She was no longer the 'dark, timid weirdo,' but a proud shinobi out to prove herself, and a cute one too. She wanted to be recognized, just like he did. She wanted to prove everyone wrong, to make something of herself, to do her best, to make her special people proud, as did he.

Naruto finished off the rest of his ramen and cleaned up before heading out the door. All of these thoughts of the pale-eyed girl were brought on by the fact that he would be seeing her again today. Training with her to be exact. It took a lot of persuading on his part. The girl really had no faith in her own abilities. He had told her that too. He was never much of a tactful person. She finally gave in, her pale cheeks covered in a light blush that seemed to forever stain her face and that's how Hinata became his new training partner for the day.

Why did he need to train, you ask. Of course he already had the kick ass Rasengan, could summon large toads, and had the massive Kage Bunshin no jutsu, but being a ninja was much more than just what jutsus you could use. He learned that at the last Chuunin exam a few months ago. What he needed was taijutsu training and who better to ask than a Hyuuga. And what luck, he ran into Hinata. He didn't feel like asking Neji. The pale-eyed boy would only rub it in his face that he made Chuunin when the foxy shinobi didn't.

The thought of most of the former rookie nine and Gai's team making Chuunin when he didn't really pissed Naruto off. Neji, Tenten, Lee, Chouji, Shino, and Ino. Even Sasuke was made a damn Chuunin!!! It wasn't like it was his fault that some crazed psycho came running into the arena and tried to kill him cause of the damn fox in him. And then the judge had the nerve to disqualify **HIM!!** The person that the psycho tried to kill was the one that got disqualified.

Naruto was so pissed after his match. He had waited two whole years since the Suna/Sound attack Chuunin Exam to take that one and was beaten, not by his opponent, but by the stupid bias judge of the Hidden Village of the Rain!!! There wasn't even time for him to show off his skills. Konoha couldn't compete in the other Chuunin exams prior because of the war. Due to the lack of ninjas to fulfill jobs, the Academy was closed down. The genin teams began getting tougher missions or not getting missions at all because their senseis were on missions. And poor Shikamaru… Obasan seemed to favor him on all missions. He'd come back only to be put on another mission. He even got too tired to mutter his "Mendokusa"s.

Naruto also remembered Hinata's match. Her opponent was not a good one for Hinata to be up against. It was Lee to be exact. She injured him and even made him take off his weights, but he was too much for her. After a Konoha Whirlwind and Primary Lotus, she was out for the count. But what amazed Naruto was that she was actually keeping up with Lee at the beginning and she learned Kaiten (from Neji). Granted she only used it once, she had used it at the right time, forcing Lee to get serious.

It seemed like no time at all had passed as the blonde shinobi arrived at his training spot. Hinata was already there, a small backpack in her hand. He spotted the backpack and confusion radiated from him.

"Hinata, what's with the backpack?"

At the mention of the backpack, the girl flushed. She began to stutter terribly. "I-I-I wanted to repay y-you for buying me d-d-dinner last night…so I-I thought t-th-that I should make lunch for u-u-us."

The blond haired shinobi broke into one of his infamous foxy grins, "Hinata, you're a very nice girl."

The poor girl's face emitted so much heat that you could have cooked an egg on it. She looked down to the ground and muttered that it was nothing. Silence fell between them.

"Well let's get started, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, never being one for silence.

"H-hai." the dark haired heiress of the Hyuuga family replied as she set her pack to the side of the clearing, her cheeks burning. She had always loved it when he said her name.

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Well second chapter… done! ;; Sorry it's so late. Good news is that I have the third chapter ready too, so I'll post it sometime soon. I have to go now. Anything that need to be explained, just email me Ja ne

minimerc


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters. So don't try to sue me, please.

_You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 3_

Their training session went on for a few hours before they decided to break for lunch. Naruto was a bit agitated at this time. "Hinata?"

The dark haired girl looked up from her rice ball, "H-hai?"

"Do you think I'm weak?"

The girl looked taken back as she blinked repeatedly, her blush no longer visible. "No, Naruto-kun. Why would you think I did?"

"Then why are you holding back?" he inquired, his eyes closed in his normal foxy manner.

"Ano…you see…." and her voice became inaudible as her eyes became interested with the ground. This agitated the hyper blonde even more.

"Just spit it out already." he said curtly.

The poor girl blushed like crazy at both his abruptness and her earlier thoughts. "G-g-g-gomen Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to make you feel that way," she found herself playing with her fingers, her face heating up even more before she continued, " It's just that I'm worried I may hurt you, N-N-Naruto-kun. Jyuuken is on a different level than other taijutsu techniques…"

The boy huffed indignantly. "So you do think I'm weak."

"No!" Hinata nearly shouted at the boy, or at least shouted for the shy girl. It was the tone she had used that morning before Naruto's big match against Neji. Naruto looked at her with wide eyes.

The girl's earlier attitude began to falter under his gaze, but she had to say this. If she didn't do it now, when she was full of some type of confidence, she may never get another opportunity. There may not have been another burst of confidence or one too late. "Naruto-kun is not weak. I-I said before that Naruto-kun was a strong man. I do not take back my words," she averted her eyes from him, a small, shy smile creeping onto her face, "that's my nindo."

Again he looked at her in shock as she continued, " N-N-Naruto-kun is an inspiration to me. Y-you've done a lot for me without noticing it. Naruto-kun gave me the strength to stand up to Neji-niisan and to do my very best. N-Naruto-kun believed in me when everyone else had given up on me. Like you never gave up on me, you never gave up on your dream of becoming Hokage. Y-you continue to get stronger, even when the villagers always treat you unfairly and unkindly, so that you can prove them wrong."

"Hinata." Naruto spoke, his voice soft and low, "Why?"

The girl refused to look at him due to the fact that her face was burning red.

He leaned back, his elbows supporting him as he looked up at the clouds. "Why?" he repeated. "During you match with Neji, Sakura-chan said that you had always been watching me. But why? Why me?"

"Because Naruto-kun is everything I wish I could be. You made not be a genius, but y-you are a man that does not give up on himself or his dreams. That is what I admire most about Naruto-kun." Both of their eyes widened as Hinata covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that much.

"A-a-admire?" Now it was Naruto's turn to blush and stutter. He must not have heard correctly. "D-did you say admire?" His eyes found interest in the sky above him. She looked away quickly, her face burning from embarrassment. There was an uncomfortable silence that fell between them, neither wanting to look at the other.

She gulped, but then turned to face the fox boy, her eyes still looking away. "H-h-hai…I have for a long time………" The boy's head moved quickly to face her again, shock covering his features.

She continued. "H-Hanabi told me about what you said to Neji-niisan. About how you would change Hyuuga… You aren't even apart of my clan, and yet you want to save us from the inhumane practices that have been going on for most of the time that the Hyuuga clan was intact. I was very proud of you. You were brave enough to promise change." She looked down at the ground, her small fists clenched tightly on her lap, "But I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even defend myself when Neji-niisan attacked me, let alone my clan's honor. Like he said, I am only a spoiled child from the head family. I chose to ignore everything that had happened to him and the rest of the branch members. I never questioned. But I know that if I become the Head of the Hyuuga Clan, it is tradition that I will have to make my younger sister a branch member. But that is only if I become the Head of Hyuuga. I'm pretty sure that if I don't die on a mission before then, my clan will find another way of making sure that I will not be their leader. No one needs a weak, cowardly leader that cannot even stand up for herself. My younger sister is more qualified to be the Head than I am. If I were to die, it would only mean that they disposed of a mist-" She stopped when she felt him touch her shoulder. He handed her a handkerchief and she took it. She didn't notice she had begun to cry.

Naruto didn't know what to do, so he just sat next to her and patted her back. She was in a lot of pain, like him. Her family, the people that were supposed to support her, were the ones breaking her. She was being attacked from the inside. There were no physical wounds, but psychological ones. It showed in everything she did from the way she would blend in with people to the way she dressed. At least he could escape the hatred of the villagers when he got home, but she had faced it in the place she was supposed to call 'Sanctuary.'

"Gomen nasai, Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to go on like that. Please forgive me," she said, her head bowed in shame.

"You're wrong though, Hinata." He started. She looked over at him with a tear stained face. "You aren't weak and you aren't cowardly. You stood up against Neji and fought him with your all. You almost died from it because you refused to give up. The same thing can be said about your fight with Lee. You aren't spoiled either. You care more about others than you do about yourself. You always want people to be happy. That's not always good though because people are never satisfied. You tried to feel Neji's pain and when you reached out to him, he tried to kill you on the spot. It wasn't because he hated you, just what you represented. If you chose to ignore what happened to him, then how come you were willing to let him attack you like that. How come you took all of that mental abuse from him? From what Neji told me, you could have just concentrated on his seal and he would have been done. If your clan can't appreciate what a great ninja you are, then screw them." With that said, he punched his fist in the air. He turned and smiled at the stunned girl, who just couldn't help but give him a small, shy smile back.

"Now that better. Ya know Hinata, you look a lot nicer when you smile." He told her before standing up. Heat rose to Hinata's cheeks as she placed her hands in front of her face.

"Well we should get back to training. There are only a few more hours left until sundown and I have a lot of fight left in me!" He held his hand out towards the girl to help her up. She looked over at him and took it. He pulled her up and gave her another foxy grin, "But this time, don't go easy on me. If I get hurt, then I get hurt. It happens all the time." The girl only nodded before she got into her stance that she knew all too well. The foxy boy walked a few feet away and sunk down into his stance. Then he charged.

* * *

Now that that chapter is over with, I can move on to bigger and better things! Did anyone else notice how Naruto just brushed off Hinata's SECOND confession in this chapter? O-o I just realized it. He blushed, he stuttered, he's in shock, but then he forgets all about it. I guess I have to do something about that later. Ja ne

minimerc


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters. So please don't try to sue.

_You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 4_

As he walked with Hinata (or rather Hinata helped him walk (as she nearly fainted from being so close to him)) to the Ichiraku Ramen Bar, Naruto thanked Kami that Hinata was good with medicine. Once he told her not to hold back, she didn't. And that became a problem for Naruto. She kicked his ass. She was a lot stronger than she was when she fought Neji. But then again it had been two years since that Chuunin Exam. He was almost tempted to summon the Frog Boss to save him, but that would require him to kill many trees and he may have actually hurt the girl. Both of them were exhausted by the time sunset came. Apparently Hinata had not used her Byakugan for that long of time or used that much chakra for her Jyuuken before, otherwise she wouldn't have promptly fainted after attending to Naruto's wounds. She revived a half hour later and that's when they started off towards Ichiraku.

"See Hinata, I told you ya had it in you. You kicked my ass and I'm the man destined to be Hokage. There's something you can tell you grandkids." Naruto told her, causing the girl to break into giggles. When she 'recovered,' she smiled at him again, but this time it was different. Instead of the small, sad, shy smile that she usual wore, she beamed at him, making her look prettier than anyone he had ever seen. He realized he was staring and turned away with a faint blush on his cheeks. This was no time for him to be thinking about Hinata like that. He was in love with Sakura-chan………right? He would think about it later, after he had his ramen.

Almost like magic, they were in front of the boy's favorite food place. He plopped down in a stool and ordered for the both of them while Hinata sat on the one next to him. The storeowner looked over at the girl and welcomed her as he had the day before and she bowed her head to him before he left to make the ramen. Silence fell between the two as their food was being made, but there was something that Hinata wanted to know.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Hmm?" He looked up from staring blankly at the counter.

She looked away shyly, "D-do you think we could train together again?"

"Why wouldn't we? I had a great workout today with you. Kakashi-sensei won't be back from his mission for a week so I'm free and your sensei's on a mission, right. So we could train together until they get back."

"B-but wouldn't you want to train with someone else… like maybe Sasuke-san or Sakura-san…?"

"Not really. I can't let Sasuke see all of my special attacks and Sakura-chan doesn't like to train with me. Besides it was fun with you as my partner." He turned to look Hinata in her eyes, "Do you want me to train with someone else?"

"N-no…"

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just don't want to hold you back…" she trailed off.

"Hinata… Please stop it." It really annoyed him when she would talk down about herself. That lack of confidence was rearing its ugly head again. He wanted to just shout at her sometimes, but even he, the densest being alive, knew how sensitive the Hyuuga girl was. His lack of tack could and would only fan the fires of her self-hatred.

She looked at him, confusion written on her face, but before she could ask him what he meant, their food arrived and Hinata learned that it was best not to talk to Naruto when he was eating. She took her chopsticks, broke them, said her grace, and began to eat as well. She was hungry too.

About a half hour and ten bowls of ramen later (1 being Hinata's, the rest Naruto's), Naruto pulled out Gama-chan and paid for the food after convincing a very red Hyuuga heiress that it was his treat.

"So Hinata, where do you live?" He asked as they exited Ichiraku.

"On the outskirts of town. Near the forest." She answered timidly. She was about to say her goodbyes and head home when…

"I guess I'll walk you home then."

Had Hinata not been raised by a refined and prestigious family, her mouth would have hit the ground. Her mind was on overload. _'D-d-d-dinner and walking m-me ho-home?!? It sounds like a-a-a date…' _A fresh, bright, hot blush covered her face as she could only nod her head in acceptance.

"Alright. Let's get going then!" he said, his foxy grin once again on his face. He started walking and noticed that Hinata wasn't following. "Oi, Hinata! It's getting late. We've got to get you home before it gets too dark."

Her face burned even more with embarrassment as she scurried after him. Once she was at his side, they continued their trek to the Hyuuga estate. The walk was quiet, yet tense. Never being one for uncomfortable silences, Naruto started talking.

"Hinata, you are going to participate in the upcoming Chuunin Exams, right?"

The girl shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know, Naruto-kun."

"Why not? You did great in the last one." He praised. Unbeknownst to him, the girl next to him stopped walking.

"B-but I lost. And I lost miserably." She said softly, her head bowed shamefully and her eyes downcast.

Normally soft whispers like Hinata's were overlooked, but Naruto heard her words. And the pain behind them. It made him stop. It made him slightly _cringe_. The contempt the girl held for herself hurt_ him_. And he didn't even know her that well.

Her attitude reminded him of his old self. Of a time before friends where there was no one to comfort him, only people to hate him. A time of only people that made him hate himself. Hatred that made him want to stop living sometimes. He didn't want anyone else to feel that way. Especially Hinata. She was a nice girl and she was one of the few people that actually understood him. He never realized it before he met her yesterday. He could be very slow at times, he admitted.

He took a deep breath then turned around, his hands behind his head and foxy grin plastered on his face. "Hinata, you did great. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You made fuzzy eyebrows get serious! He doesn't take off his weights for just anyone. You also used Kaiten… Trust me, that move hurts. You should be proud of yourself." He saw that there was no change in her attitude so he turned his back to her. "Because I was."

The wind picked up as silence reigned once again. Then footsteps were heard. Naruto looked back to see the Hyuuga girl walking towards him with her head still bowed. She stopped when she reached him and raised her head so he could see her. Her cheeks were tear stained, but she gave him a small closed-eyed smile. "T-thanks you, Naruto-kun. That meant a lot to me."

He smiled back at her. "No problem. I'm just telling the truth." He told her as they started walking again. "So are you going to participate?"

She gave him a shy look, "I-I guess I will."

He grinned at her, "Great." She smiled back, her eyes not meeting his. Then they came up to her house-erm a better word would be estate. They saw someone approaching them.

"Hinata-sama and _**Naruto**_?!?!?" The figure questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"K-k-koban wa, Neji-niisan." Hinata stuttered, her face covered in a large blush.

"Yo, Neji." Naruto greeted, giving him a slight wave.

The older Hyuuga gave the two a once over and stated, "I'll wait for you inside, Hinata-sama." With that he left.

Watching her cousin leave, Hinata bowed low, "Thank you very much for today, Naruto-kun. I really enjoyed y-your company. And I am looking forward to s-seeing you again… t-t-tomorrow."

Naruto, not knowing much about proper etiquette, repeated the girl's action, but bumped his head against hers, causing both of them injury. After a few mumbled swear words, he laughed it off. "I guess I'm not cut out for formalities. I enjoyed today Hinata and I'll see ya tomorrow." He turned away to walk home, but then stopped and faced her again. "And remember Hinata, I acknowledge you so don't go feeling depressed about yourself. That just reflects badly on me." He gave her another foxy grin that she loved so much and left the poor Hyuuga heiress stunned.

She blinked a few times, her mind not comprehending what he just said. "H-he ack-acknowledges me?" she said slowly, not believing her own voice. As if in a trance, she made her way to the main house. Her cousin gave her a small smirk and bid her good night before he walked off to his quarters. He knew about her thing for the fox boy and he, for once, was glad for her. Naruto was someone he could trust. He would never do wrong by her.

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Yay for another chapter!!! D A little longer than normal, but hey I was on a roll! Will Naruto actually remember to think about his feelings for Hinata??? oO;;; More NaruHina pillow-fluffing coming up later! So please stay tuned. Now on to the reviews:

Wormkaizer: I love NaruHina too. D I'm glad we agree on that! - Thanks for reviewing!

Anon E. Mous: That was so nice. I'm glad you like and I'm also glad you think I didn't go OOC with them.

Xoni Newcomer ): Thanks for reviewing. I know the beginning's a bit on the cliché side, but I'm going to try and add my own stuff in the rest of the story. My spelling sucks, so I can't do much about that. If it gets by spell check, then it just stays in the story. Sorry. ;;; I hope I did better and I thank you for your encouragement.

Rune-Rune: Wandering over to the Naruto section is fun! D I just hope I got better. Thanks for reviewing

chibified kitsunes: O-O It's you! From Kitsune no Hana!!! Dude.... I'm really glad you like. If I don't mention it this chapter (which I probably will), I'll mention it next.

nArUtOhInAtA fOrEvEr: dude... I'm awesome? You're awesome! You reviewed my story! D Thanks a lot!

hikariko: Glad you like. Yes, Naruto is dense. He gives the word "dumb blonde" new meaning... not cause he's dumb.... just cause he's absolutely dense. I'm hoping that when he gets older, he'll actually start to realize stuff...

joekool: You reviewed all 3 chapters!!! O-O Yay! Thanks. I'm glad you liked all the chapters!!!

Scorpio V1.2: Greatness??? ;; you really think my story is greatness?? I am honored by your review. Thank you.

nonengel: Don't worry, Naruto will make Chuunin soon enough. Thanks for the review

Darh Uranaku: My story kicks ass?? Really? ;; no one's ever told me that before. Thanks for reviewing! I'm happy you like it.

S-Wanderer999 : Whoa.... O-O such a long review.... I love long reviews! A lot of what you said is true. Naruto, IMO, isn't an intellectual. He thinks well on his feet though. He's come up with more strategies that Sakura has. He's more cunning than he is intelligent... if that makes any sense.

And the whole Sasuke thing. It's been 2 years since the Sasuke issue. With both Orochimaru and Itachi and the Akasuki out there, they need as many ninjas as they can get. Besides... - I'm convinced Naruto brought him back to his senses. I love Sasuke and all, but Rasengan owns Chidori. And now with what's going on in the manga, Sasuke stands no chance. But I also feel that Sasuke is regaining his 'old' self again... i.e. the forehead protector. At the beginning, he was like a madman, but now, he's mellowed out quiet a bit. I think the cursed seal is influencing him more than people think. Corrupting his mind and making him see things like he didn't before.

I can go on forever with this.... o-O but I think people would kill me then.... Thanks for the review! I'm glad it's struck some interest with you.

minimerc


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: ::sigh:: Alas, I would love to just write NaruHina fluff, but I have this nagging voice in my head that tells me I can't just do that. That and also KyLewin. Naruto is in Shonen Jump for a reason… It's a "for guys" manga, meaning not a lot of mushy stuff. So no beating up KyLewin-san, please. Besides… it just doesn't seem like they're in character if Naruto just discovers his feelings for Hinata after only spending two days with her. And with that said, I feel I can let you read the chapter now.

Disclaimer: I still do not own Naruto and/or its characters.

You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 5 

Something was nagging Naruto in the back of his mind as he lay down to sleep, but he couldn't remember what. His stomach was full. He locked up. He didn't have to use the bathroom. What the hell could it be that was bothering him?!?!?! He sighed in exasperation and turned over to fall immediately to sleep.

They met again at the same training ground. Hinata, once again, made them both lunch. The foxy shinobi grinned and thanked her. She blushed and set the bento boxes down. She then turned to face her opponent for the day and they squared off. After they finished, Naruto would take her to dinner and then walk her home. It instantly became routine. But routine was only the beginning…

"Nani?!?!? I have to work with HIM!?!" the blonde shinobi shouted at his sensei, pointing back at the boy in question.

"Well you could always NOT participate in the Chuunin exams then." Kakashi countered causing the blonde to face fault.

_Ouch,_ Naruto thought, his eight eye twitching, _Low blow_. "But why? We have our own teams!!"

"Naruto!!" Sakura murmured before whacking the blonde shinobi up the side of his head, "Shut up. You're being annoying"

The jounin sighed. He knew that he would have to explain it again to Naruto, but he had hoped he was wrong. "Look baka, the Chuunin exams require you to have a team of three and no less. Seeing as you, Sakura, Hinata, and Kiba all want to take the test, you have to be on the same team. Arrangements have been made so that _all_ of you can participate."

"It's not like I _want_ to be on the same team with you." Kiba snapped back, his puppy backing up his response with a bark and growl. Tension between the two flared. Kiba was still not over his lost to Naruto in the Chuunin Exam two years back and Naruto, well Naruto just didn't like Kiba. Or his dog, especially after their little 'game' where Naruto came out of it smelling like dog piss.

"Kiba-kun, Naruto-kun didn't mean that. The same for Kiba-kun, Naruto-kun" Hinata said quietly, but her words reached the two boys and refrained from any more arguments.

The pale-eyed girl turned and faced the jounin sensei. "Demo…ano Kakashi-san, you haven't explained to us how we were able to be allowed to participate as a four-man team." Hinata uttered in her shy voice.

"Our Hokage tried to arrange it with the Elders in the Village of the Suna, making it seem worth their while. When that didn't work, Gaara stepped in and 'persuaded' the council to let you participate." The gray-haired jounin clarified.

"Gaara?!?! As in _Gaara of the Desert_." Sakura screeched, her eyes widening in fear. Sure, he helped save Sasuke-kun, but he had tried to kill them before.

"Yeah, him. Seeing as his father was the late Kazekage, he has a lot of power in the Sand. That and the fact that all of the adults are afraid of him, especially since he made jounin a month ago."

"That bastard. He beat me to it." Naruto said angrily, but the satisfied smirk on his face told them otherwise. He wasn't so stupid that he didn't notice that Kakashi said, "…_all of the adults are afraid of him_". That meant Gaara still stood a chance. He could have friends. Just like the foxy shinobi did. And then he wouldn't have to experience that lonely hell anymore.

"So you'll be training with each other for the next few weeks." Kakashi continued, bringing Naruto back from his thoughts. The gray haired jounin pulled out his infamous book, Icha Icha Paradise and gave them a wave with his hand, "So get to it."

Naruto and Kiba glared at each other before Kiba turned and went to train with Hinata. This, for some odd reason unbeknownst to him, ticked Naruto off even more with the dog shinobi. He sent a one last glare at Kiba before walking over to Sakura. He wanted to train with her anyway… right?

He frowned. He was so used to training with Hinata now, it felt odd sparing with Sakura. She was weak in Taijutsu so that didn't help to test Naruto's training and she preferred long distance fighting to close range. She her style was completely, her jutsus being mostly Genjutsu. This was completely different from what Naruto had gotten used to. Hinata's Jyuuken challenged him because, well, he sucked at Taijutsu. It was something that needed timing, balance, strength, patience, and a good dodging ability, most of which he lacked. He wasn't great at Genjutsu, but when you have Kyuubi in you, they tend to not work all too well. Genjutsus don't work on people that know how to counter them, and Naruto was forced to learn how to counter them. They also don't work on people that have a substantially larger amount of chakra that the user does. Naruto had that too.

The blonde haired boy yawned. Another day of training over. Boy, was he hungry. He didn't bring lunch today because he thought that Hinata would bring him some, but she hadn't. So in the end they shared her lunch, which only filled half of his stomach and left a very red Hyuuga heiress. What he really needed now was some food. With that thought, he ran over to Sakura before she started walking home. "Sakura-chan, you want to get some ramen with me?"

Normally, when Sasuke was training with them, the pink haired girl would just glare at him and tell him that she had better things to do, then go chasing after Sasuke, but this time she politely declined. "Sorry Naruto, I can't. Some of my relatives are coming over tonight. I have to eat dinner at home. Maybe next time."

He looked a little down, but then perked right up. "It's okay Sakura-chan! Have fun." With that she walked away and he signed heavily. _At least she didn't say I was annoying this time_, Naruto thought as he began to leave the training ground with a heavy heart.

Then it suddenly came to him. Hinata! Maybe she would eat with him. She had become his ramen buddy for what seemed like a while now. He walked up to her.

"Hinata, you want to go to get some ramen with me?" he asked her, his foxy grin present as always. And she could never say no to that grin.

"O-okay N-Naruto-kun" she replied. She had been around him for almost a week now, but she still would stutter and break out into blushes just talking to him. She turned to look at her Kiba. He looked over the two and heard Naruto's invitation to the girl. He smirked and gave her an understanding look before turning to leave.

"Well I'll see you guys tomorrow then. Ja ne Hinata, dobe." Before the foxy boy could come up with a retort, Kiba was out of sight. This left Naruto muttering a few obscene things under his breath about the dog boy as he and Hinata set out for Ichiraku.

When they got there, the old man that ran the place greeted them. Apparently the waitress that worked for him was on vacation, so he had to hold down the fort by himself. It wasn't too much of a problem since most of the people in Konoha were honest people and were understanding. And the fact that Naruto swore on his honor to protect the ramen shop and its contents.

After waiting a few minutes, their ramen was served to them as it had been for the last week. The aroma of beef, fish, shrimp, pork, and broth filled the little ramen bar as Naruto handed Hinata a pair of chopsticks. They broke them, said their grace, and then dug in.

They sat there eating and talking (more like Naruto talking while Hinata listened) for about an hour. A few laughs and giggles were shared at the expense of the shinobi of Konoha, mostly at Sasuke's expense. The way Naruto imitated him almost made the poor girl fall out of her chair. She had never laughed so much in her life. But that's what Naruto does to people.

After his seventh bowl, Naruto gave a contented sigh. "Ah, ramen tastes so much better when you eat it with someone else. Right Hinata?"

This threw Hinata completely off track. Had she not finished eating prior to the comment, she would have choked. After recovering, she gave a small nod, blush across her cheeks, "H-hai Naruto-kun."

"Hinata, it's getting late." He told her as he looked at the sun sinking below the horizon. The girl nodded and got up from her stool. She was about to pay for her food when Naruto placed the money for both meals on the counter. And then he started walking in the direction of the Hyuuga Estate. The blue haired shinobi left after the boy, falling into step with him.

"D-demo Na-Naruto-kun… I didn't bring lunch for you today. You shouldn't have had to pay for me." The Hyuuga heiress said as they walked to her house, her head bowed in embarrassment.

"Maa, maa Hinata. Don't worry about it. You did me a favor." He told her, his hands behind his head.

She had remembered that she rarely saw Naruto eat at Ichiraku with someone before. Sure, sometimes he was there with their Academy teacher, Iruka-sensei, but he was usually alone and wearing that fake smile of his, refusing to let anyone see him upset. She thought back to what he said at the ramen shop. _"Ah, ramen tastes so much better when you eat it with someone else. Right Hinata?"_ Of course he would have said what he did without thinking it meant anything. He, like everyone else, didn't like being alone, isolated. He hadn't meant it in any semi-romantic way as she had originally though. She wanted to sigh, but opted for a sad smile. He would never see her more than a friend, but she could live with that. All she really wanted was his happiness.

He turned to look at her, foxy grin in place, "Besides, you can always make one for me tomorrow." She smiled at him, a small blush on her face and nodded.

"Then I'll kick that dog bastard's ass all over the training ground! Call me a dobe, will he?" he shouted, his fist pumped into the air. A few more obscene things were said about Kiba (who sneezed twice in a row) as they made their way to Hinata's home.

Hinata frowned a bit. "Naruto-kun, that's not nice… Kiba-kun is a good person when you get to know him." She scolded him with her quiet, but serious voice. "He and Shino-kun helped me so much when we were on the same team. He said cruel things to you in the past, but that was only because he was as ignorant as everyone else. Could you please try to get along with him? We are all a team now."

The foxy shinobi didn't know what to say. 1) That was the first time she scolded him for making fun of someone and 2) she was standing up for her friend against him. After a long pause, he scratched his head sheepishly, "Sorry. I'll try."

Silence reigned until they reached the Hyuuga Estate. Neji was standing at the gate, like he always was, waiting for his cousin. "Hinata-sama, Naruto" he said, giving both a nod of acknowledgement.

"Koban wa Neji-niisan" Hinata said as she gave a slight bow.

"Hey Neji!" he said, smiling at the pale eyed boy, who in turn smirked back and muttered something sounding oddly like baka before leaving for the main house.

Once Neji was out of view, Hinata bowed lowly to the foxy boy, her face burning in embarrassment. "I-I-I'm sorry for scolding you Naruto-kun…" she glanced sideways, "I just don't like it when people make fun of my precious people."

The foxy shinobi brushed it off. "I understand. Sorry about that. Kiba's one lucky guy to have you stand up for him. He must be really special to you for you to come out and defend him like that." Naruto said knowledgeably. She raised her head and gave him an appreciative smile.

"That's a good quality for an heir to have." He told her off handedly, causing Hinata's face to become completely flushed. "Well I'll see ya tomorrow. Remember lunch, okay, otherwise I'll go hungry. Ja Hinata" With that he left.

I hate the ending of this chapter… but I still love it. Why, I have no idea. Anyways about Kiba. There are people out there that believe Kiba likes Hinata like she likes Naruto. I'm not one of those people. I think Kiba's smart enough to know when he stands absolutely no chance. I see him and Shino more as brother figures for Hinata, rather than having a love interest in her. He obviously know of Hinata's infatuation with Naruto. And because he has become even closer to her over the two years prior to this fic, she would stand up for him, even against Naruto. Now if Kiba ever insulted Naruto now, after Hinata's gained some confidence in herself, I can see her giving Kiba an icy glare that would make him yelp like a little puppy. XD Anyways now on to the reviews:

chibified kitsunes- ::is glomped:: It's official. I have now been called a "silly billy"… XD I love it. It's cute… ::clears throat:: Anyways sorry about no confession in that chapter or this chapter. It's too soon. forgive me. I was thinking about Neji doing saying something more, but then I couldn't think of a line Neji would say… --;;; Sorry. BTW: I love your story. D

nArUtOhInAtA fOrEvEr- I love marshmallows. Again, you're awesome too! :D Thanks for reviewing!

Scorpio V1.2- Thanks for reviewing! Nothing wrong with shameless advertisement. ;;; I've done it before. I love your fic. The whole plot is great. I would recommend it to lots of NaruHina lovers! I love it.

esther- Thanks for the review. I hope I updated soon enough for you!

nonengel- Doing new stuff is what I do. Besides, what's the point of reading a fanfic if everyone writes the same things in the same way? And don't worry, I always find Neji amusing… well when he's not being mean to Hinata, that is. Got to love Neji!

Rune-Rune- Yay! You're back! I'm glad you like how I did things. Naruto's a straightforward guy. Of course he's gonna get a bit angry when Hinata's 'beating around the bush.' XD I love the quote you put in your review! "It's a person's traits that makes you like them, but it's their flaws that make you love them." I don't remember where it's from either, but it applies. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. Hee hee.

AkiaBinZaid- Thanks for the compliment and the review. D I'm really glad you like.

me- Thanks for your seal of approval! I'm glad that you feel they are in character. Now, hopefully, I'll keep them in character.

hyuga-san!!!!!- Yay! You reviewed! nn NT/NM ppl have to stick together, ne? I hope you like this chapter too.

DotDotDotMan- I read your review and then I nearly cried/pissed in my pants from laughing. Oo it's a hard thing to do, but I almost did it. I was touched… but the way you said it just made me laugh. Thanks so much.

KyLewin- Another all chapters reviewer!!!!!! I'm sorry that I confused you with the Chuunin exam part, but you got it in the end, right. I think I will take your suggestion to heart… I love to make characters suffer… a little. XD Besides, with Naruto being as dense as he is, just hanging out with her for a few days will not make him see he loves her. And yeah, I also agree that Naruto not all about fluff. It's apart of Shonen Jump, is it not. So more action should happen before they hook up, but that doesn't mean I'm going to screw with their emotions while the action is going on… XD

Last thing, of course Neji is good to Hinata now. Not only did he realize that Hinata was trying to sympathize with him during their match (which he felt was over the line at the time) and Naruto make him see all the crap Hinata has gone though with a through ass whooping, but something also happens in the manga… so I feel after all of that he had an epiphany or something.

The shinobi- Thanks. Nice review. Will update soon. ;D

Steel Jaguar- Addiction can be a good thing sometimes. XD Thanks for reviewing

Xoni Newcomer- You're back too!!!! Yay! I did something right! Okay, I get it now. I was just going to make this story a one-shot, but then, with some encouragement from you, some other friends, and boredom, I decided to make it into a long story. I just put Taijutsu training between the two because, frankly, Naruto's Taijutsu sucks… and maybe Hinata can teach him chakra control later on… Besides I'm pretty sure Hinata uses different fighting styles against people. Against Neji, she would you Jyuuken, but if she were to face Temari or Kankuro, who are long distance fighters, she would use another method. I am still under the impression that Hinata is a strategist, not great like Shikamaru, but one nonetheless.

ayu- I wish you well as well D Thanks for the nice review. And don't worry, I don't plan on abandoning this fic.

NarutoKyubi- Thanks for the review!!! And I will say this once again, there's nothing wrong with a little shameless advertisement. I like how your fic is turning out and I can't wait for an update.

Daniel of Lorein- YES! Someone that agrees with me!!!! I was beginning to lose hope. Yes, it's all Itachi's fault. It always will be, but I still like Itachi. He's too kick ass to hate.

hikariko- I'm soooooooo sorry if I offended you. I was just joking. I'm a brunette and I'm one of the densest people alive. As proof, that little joke. Oo Please forgive me. I hope I updated soon enough for you.

Dragon Man 180- It will be a long time. XD I'm a firm believer in Naruto confessing first. Why, you ask. Because… I went through/ am still going through the same thing with my 'Naruto-kun.' Don't worry though. Naruto's 14 in this fic, he's grown up a little since the manga/anime so it shouldn't take him too long…. I hope. nn;;;;

joekool4- You make me blush. The Chuunin exam is coming up soon so you'll get your wish, but it's going to be different than the one held in Konoha… A lot different. nn

xero-ghost- Yay! You love my story!!!!! I'm trying to keep Naruto close to his real age because it's a lot easier for me to not put them too far into the future. That way, I can develop them anyway I want… nn Hee hee. Hinata's self esteem issues and her growth… well she did say that she changed a bit… just made her change a bit more in two years. It's still very low, but now, after her nice little breakdown in front of Naruto, she realizes that she has some self worth. Thanks for the review!!!

Wormkaizer- ::is glomped again:: oO more glomps… yay!!! nn I'm glad ya like. I can't wait till Naruto figures it out too! That means that I can torture them even more!!!!! 3 J/k

warprince2000- Oo you like reviewed the day I'm putting it out… XD Lucky for you, isn't it? Thanks for the review.

Well that's it for now. I tried to get it out Sunday night, but I was sick… aka not able to move my head otherwise I would suffer excruciating pain and nausea… nn;;;; Well I'm leaving for SAT Prep soon. Enjoy!

minimerc


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters. Can't sue me now ;P You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 6 

_"Have you told him yet?" met her as she walked into the manor._

_She refused to look up at him, "Iie"_

_"Hinata-sama, he will find out eventually. You should tell him." Neji told her as he forced the girl to look him in the eye. "He will be proud of you."_

_She shook her head, a sad smile finding its way to her face, "You once told me about fate and destiny, Neji-niisan. At the Chuunin Exams, when we fought, you told me my fate was to be forever weak and spoiled and you were right. I can never be the strong heir they want me to be. I can never be Hanabi-imooto. And he will never be proud of me."_

_"I was wrong. Hinata-sama, you have a lot of potential. You just need to believe in yourself."_

_"Why should I, though?" she looked sideways, avoiding his gaze, "There is nothing there to believe in."_

_He stepped back from her and gave her a serious look. "There must be something since I believe in you. And so does Naruto." That brought Hinata back from her self-hating musing. 'Naruto-kun believes in me…'_

"You should be proud of yourself…. Because I was."

"And remember Hinata, I acknowledge you so don't go feeling depressed about yourself. That just reflects badly on me."

_She looked up, a determined glimpse in her eye that he had not seen since he fought her two years ago," Okay Neji-niisan, I'll do it." He smirked at her._

That's how she ended up here. She sat nervously in front of her father, her eyes finding interest in the ground. Her sister sat next to him, staring at nothing. She felt the warm eyes of her cousin fall upon her, telling her that he was there for her. For that, she was grateful.

"You wish to participate in the Chuunin Exams this time in Suna?" he glared at her small form.

"H-hai, Otousan." She berated herself for the stutter. She could not help it. After all, her father was the one that instilled the self-hatred in her. He scared her and mentally abused her once Hanabi was deemed the stronger of the two. "I-I believe I may have a chance at be…becoming a Chunnin this time."

"What makes you sure that you can pass this time? This will have been your third attempt. Do you believe the other genins have gotten weaker? Do you think Suna's test will be easier?"

"Iie… I-I…I believe I have gotten stronger…"

He looked hard at the girl. "Your request has been denied. I refuse to have you continuously disgracing the name of Hyuuga with your loss at another Chuunin Exam." He said, feeling that he ended the discussion. The pale-eyed boy tensed up as if ready to attack Hiashi as he watched his cousin crumble and sink into her shell of self-hatred again. Of course he had done that to her too, but after getting to know Hinata, he was now protective of her. No one had the right to make her feel like this. Not even Kami-sama himself.

The girl bowed her head, face hot and red from shame, eyes squeezed tight trying not to cry, opened her mouth to say her normal response of 'I understand,' but instead, she heard a voice…

_"If your clan can't appreciate what a great ninja you are, then screw them."_

_'Naruto-kun… That's right…'_ She looked up at her father, ignoring the normal traditions, "Otousan… y-y-you are mistaken… I-I... I did not come to ask for your permission, I came to inform you that I will be participating." She spoke softly, her stuttering disappearing as she gained more confidence. Neji smirked slightly and Hiashi just looked down at the girl in shock. She had never stood up to him or anyone else, to his knowledge, before.

Hanabi looked in disbelief between her older sister and her father. When did Hinata develop a backbone? The little girl then smiled. She was glad for her sister. Hyuuga Hanabi was not the heartless little girl many thought her to be. She never wanted to fight her sister. She hated how the rest of the clan treated Hinata and would gladly die protecting her. Although she was only 8 years old, she knew that if Hinata were to become the heir, she would be made a branch family member. She also knew that she would not take Hinata's rightful place as heir of their clan.

After a few minutes of silence, Hiashi recovered. He gave his eldest daughter a once over and saw her determination to not give in to him. Her sheer defiance amazed him. He never knew she had it in her. That was a good quality for an heir to have, conviction in what they believe in. Maybe all hope was not lost yet. "Very well then." Hinata blinked a few times… she won?

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Training ended earlier than usual today. After working with each other for about three weeks, everyone's skills improved, especially Hinata's and Sakura's. Being females, many assumed that neither of them would be good at hand-to-hand combat, so they were both trained in Genjutsu for the most part. Boy, were Kakashi and Kurenai surprised when both of the girls' began to beat the boys in taijutsu.

Hinata, although her vision was not as great as Neji's, she had been able to see the blurred image of Kiba's tenketsus and began to use other jutsus other than Jyuuken, due to Kiba's preference of long range combat. Her stamina was great and chakra control was near perfect. Being a Hyuuga required that of you. She also began to initiate attacks and go on the offensive more often. Although she never actually use Jyuuken in her spars, her agility and speed of her strikes greatly increased, the chakra part would come later when she trained on her own.

And Sakura… Sakura's chakra control was perfect to begin with, so her sparing with Naruto help begin to build up her physical strength, which lead to the building up of her stamina. And boy, did she need more stamina. Her growth began to also give her the confidence to actually think up strategies during her spar. Who would have thought that Naruto would be a good sparring partner? No one he and Sasuke sparred together all of the time.

Strange thing is that when they were told to spar with each other, Kiba would just 'snatch' Hinata away before Naruto could ask to spar with her. The stranger thing about it was that Naruto, begrudgingly, went off to spar with Sakura. Wasn't he supposed to be happy to train with Sakura all the time?

Kakashi appeared again to dismiss the team early. Today was, after all, a holiday in Konoha. The day that Kyuubi was defeated. The gray haired jounin looked over at Naruto with a concerned eye, who was smiling like a fool. Every time this day came around, he could see that a little bit of Naruto die inside. It was hard to take. Plus Naruto never wanted to talk about it. He still did not tell any of his friends about Kyuubi, and from the looks of it, he wouldn't for a long time. He would continue to suffer alone.

0000000000000

The decorations were beautiful. Fiery reds, oranges, and yellows made her feel as if she were in an inferno. The only colors that mellowed out the rest were the different shades of blue. The colors were supposed to represent Kyuubi and Yondaime's battle as the blues and fiery colors clashed all over the square. Everyone who was anyone would be going to the festival. Beautiful kimonos litter the street as everyone enjoyed the festival and games… everyone except a certain foxy shinobi.

Naruto gave a sad smile as he sat on his favorite swing at the Academy in his trusty old amber kimono. He did this every year. Him going to the festival would only start a riot, as he had found out when he was younger. Besides, today was his birthday. No one remember or cared. His birthday had never been a secret, just no one cared because it was the same day Kyuubi was sealed inside of him. And he could live with the kids his age's ignorance. That just meant that they did not realize that Kyuubi was sealed in him. That he wasn't a monster, as the adults called him.

The swing creaked as he went up and down. He always dressed up for it because it was an important day. It was a day; scratch that, a decision that changed his life. Even though Kyuubi made his life difficult sometimes, he was grateful to Yondaime and to the baka kitsune. Had he not had this enormous amount of demonic power, he would not have been able to save so many special people or think about becoming Hokage. As they say, with the good comes the bad. Besides, no one would miss him at the festival…

"…N-Naruto-kun" a soft voice called him. He knew that voice anywhere.

He stopped swinging and turned to look at the person who called him. "Hinata? Why aren't you at the festival?"

The girl blushed and looked away. She wore a lilac kimono with a dark purple sash, her bands clipped back out of her face, and light tints of make-up applied to her face. Her hands were holding something behind her back, "I-I was looking for y-you." She walked closer to him and shoved a wrapped box into his hands, refusing to meet his eyes "H-Happy Birthday, Naruto-kun…"

He blinked a couple of times…. Did he hear right? "Hinata… ho-?"

"I-Iruka-sensei's birthday chart from the Academy when we were little…" her fingers began to tap against one another as a hue of red covered her cheeks, "W-w-we're teammates now so I…"

He gaped at her. His first birthday present from someone his age… She remembered. She cared. This was a new concept and took a while for Naruto to understand, making Hinata more and more nervous by the second. After a while his eyes softened as he look at the girl, "Thank you, Hinata…"

It was simple. It was an expression said all of the time… but this time it was different. She felt the genuine emotions behind it: happiness, shock, caring, grateful, and a little sadness (1). What he was sad about, she didn't know. She just knew that she never wanted him to be upset.

"Ano… N-Naruto-kun…why aren't you at the fe-festival?" She instantly regretted asking as his face displayed a deep hurt.

He then gave an indignant huff and turned his head away, "No reason. Does there have to be a reason?"

The girl looked down, "Iie… gomen…" She cursed her shyness. She wanted to make him feel better, but she couldn't… Why was it so hard? Her mouth moved for a while, but no words came out. Silence reigned over the two who shifted uncomfortable. She had done everything she thought she could never do… she stood up to Neji-niisan and her father… why couldn't she be there for Naruto? Why was she such a coward?

She took a deep breath and took the plunge, "Naruto-kun, would you like to go to the festival with me?" It came out rushed and sounded like a squeak, but Naruto heard it pretty clearly.

He turned to look at her again. "You want me to go with you? Why?" he asked. His eyes filled with sadness again as he looked down. "Besides, it would be better if I didn't go… the adults don't want me there."

"Demo… N-Naruto-kun all of your friends would want you there…" _'I want you there'_ never left Hinata's lips. Coming right out and admitting her feelings was never her thing. Keeping things inside always worked better for her… until she could vent in privacy at least.

He gave the girl a once over and thought about her words. She had come out here looking for him after all. She had also given him a birthday present and seemed concerned about him. He might as well humor her for her kindness. "Alright Hinata, you've convinced me. Let's go!" He smiled at her. It wasn't necessarily fake, but it wasn't exactly genuine either… It was just a smile, no emotion behind it at all.

She nodded as she followed him down to the busy streets of Konoha. Who would have thought that Naruto had been missing out on so much fun at these festivals? And with Hinata, his polar opposite in personality. She was a lot of fun, a shocker to him due to her lack of voice most of the time. And no one bothered them… Who would dare mess with Naruto while he is in the company of the heiress of the Hyuuga clan?

---------------------------------

Okay… I read the manga chapters… ;; Sasuke didn't come back… yet anyways. He's still going to come back to this fic. I'm too lazy to rewrite it. There was a brief period between after Sasuke left and when he comes back. I don't believe that Sasuke will go to Orochimaru though… U-U but if he does… he won't become his new body.

(1) Erm… previous paragraph he said he was thankful his generation's ignorance about his birthday. That way they wouldn't find out about Kyuubi being sealed in him. Hinata knows his b-day… she may be able to figure it out…

Happy Belated birthday Naruto-kun!!!!!!!! n-n … Sorry for the delay… Very, extremely sorry… Want excuses, there are listed at the end of this chapter… Now reviews!!!! n-n:

Dragon Man 180: Hinata dying and he finds out his feelings for her? No… I'm not going to write that. No matter how old Naruto gets, he will always think with his stomach. Ah… and Hinata knows this… for the most part… XD Besides… cliché is no fun!

warprince2000: Sorry about the not updating soon thing… n-n;;; things happened and stuff… thanks for the review!

nArUtOhInAtA fOrEvEr: You got more NaruHina scenes courtesy of Naruto's birthday! I love ramen… I wish I had some right now… damn…

chibified kitsunes: Hiyas person that keeps calling me silly billy… why I like that name, I do not know… but I do… Anyways, Kiba and Naruto getting along… kinda hard to do…. n-n Something called male pride may stand in the way… lol … Confession… soon? Maybe… - I don't know myself… that's how sad I am…

AkiaBinZaid: Thanks for the review… I dun know what the fic is missing… hopeful I'll fill in some stuff later. I hope I didn't disappoint you.

Daniel of Lorien: Why thank you kindly sir. I'm glad you like how I write and thanks for the review.

hikariko: Yay! Someone that agrees with me! Have a cookie! n-n I don't think Kiba's as dense as Naruto is… He can see Hinata's feelings for Naruto as clearly as Naruto can see Sakura's for Sasuke… but he probably accepts them, unlike Naruto who was in denial for a long time…

Sirus183: Thanks for the review and here's an update for ya!

Chocobaby: Go fluff!!!! Though in reality I never intend to write it… It just happens… n-n;;; Thanks for your review.

Ayce Shade: Fast is something I've never related to NaruHina before… o-O Sorry if it's a little too slow… I want them to move faster too… . but that's not how they are… I can make more… I can keep up quality… I can make fast (later on n-n;;; ) Thanks for your review!

Ximena-san: You reviewed!!!!!! You liked!!!!!!! Yay!!!!! n-n Of course I remember the person that I repeatedly threatened if they were to do evil things to Naruto and Hinata while they were discovering their feelings for each other!!!!! I love your fics too… I feel so honored…

Joekool: lol… yes, opposites do attract. And you'll always be on my reviewers' list if you review. Your review is just as important as anyone else's!

KyLewin: … Action… yeah… ::sweatdrop:: This chapter lacked much of it, didn't it? Heh heh heh… sorry… I thought that just skipping from when they started training to the Chuunin Exam would be too quick and I wanted to give Hinata a chance to obtain some self confidence before then. But the Chuunin Exam is definitely next chapter… which is already in the process of being written. n-n;;;;

Dargon Sheinto: I hope I didn't disappoint you either. Thanks for reviewing!

Drekko: Really? -.-;;; sorry then… I thought he was 12 and then made him two years older. If I'm wrong just add two years to his age… Thanks! n-n And thanks for reviewing!

Rune-Rune: You know? Damn… I was trying to keep it a secret, but I failed myself ::sweatdrop:: Yeah, I was going to do something like that… heh heh heh. And the format, hopefully it's fixed this time… I don't know why it messed up before…

Byuu128: ::nods head in agreement:: I'm not really for the idea of SasuSaku, seeing as I like SasuTen (I know, really out of the park there) , so they will not be a couple… nor be in any other coupling in this story. Not a lot of NaruHina stories out there that aren't one shot… Hopefully I can help contribute to the NaruHina fan base.

nonengel: XD Two loud mouths put on the same team… ears will bleed… j/k… Even though I do feel sorry for their team too…

a3eedi: A little harsh on Kiba-kun, aren't ya? XD Poor dog boy… No KibaHinaNaru here… Hinata only loves Naruto and Kiba's not stupid enough to NOT see it.

Temjinxzarron: You reviewed!!!!! And you like too!!! O.O wow…. I'm so honored now… And I'm so sorry… ;-; I didn't mean to keep it a secret if I did… I love your advice though… "Update whenever you can." And I love your stories… Is this an NT/ KnH reunion or something? O-o

Erm yeah… lots of excuses why I couldn't update sooner: sickness, got into a fight with my mom (or rather had whatever self confidence I had in myself ripped to shreds), the PSAT, SAT Prep, other tests, lots of essays and make-up work, and lack of sleep. The PSAT is out of the way now and so are the other tests… things are cooling down now, so I can write again! Yay! Well I'm out.

-minimerc


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters.

_You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 7_

It had finally come. The Chuunin exam in the Hidden Village of the Suna was finally here. Her heart rate became erratic as her hands began to drip with sweat. Maybe she wasn't up to this after all… Maybe this was all a big mistake. She cursed herself. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't back out of the Chuunin Exams now. The doubts began to build up as she reached for something in her pouch. Her heartbeat slowed down as she pulled out the object of her confidence: a dulling kunai. It may not seem like a lot to most, but she began to treasure it ever since the day she got it, which was the night before her departure for this Chuunin Exam.

_"Oneesan, take this." The youngest main branch Hyuuga said as she tossed a kunai to her older sister._

_Hinata caught it. "Hanabi…I have enough weapons to bring with me already-"_

_The little girl's eyes stopped her. They were something that most Hyuugas have not seen before. They were warm and full of a protectiveness only Neji had shown he possessed for her. "I can't go with you so I'll give you my first kunai to help protect you…" The girl looked away in embarrassment. "I want you to do your best."_

_Hinata blinked many times. Hanabi was a mystery to her, like Neji used to be. This type of affection between the two stopped after their infamous match, no fault could be placed entirely on either of them. Hinata was ashamed of herself and Hanabi was pushed away from her older sister by the rest of the family. Then the words washed over her, leaving a warm feeling in her heart and on her face. With her new kunai cradled in her small hands genteelly, Hinata smiled at her sister. "Arigato Hanabi-chan…"_

The memory cheered her up a bit and gave her some confidence. She could do this. She stood up to her father to get here. _'I don't take back my words. That is my nindo.' _She thought to herself, a small smile found its way to her lips.

Minutes later the group were stopped by the sight in front of them. "It seems we have an escort." Kakashi said, eyeing the shinobi before him warily.

The red haired young man nodded to the gray haired jounin as a greeting before his ears were practically yelled in by Naruto.

"Gaara! What's up? How's life been treating ya?" the hyper blond greeted his former enemy as if they had been friends all of their lives.

"Uzumaki Naruto. You have not quieted down at all since I saw you last." The red haired boy stated, his tone monotonous, but his eyes held the warmth left out of his voice. The blond responded, to everyone's surprise, by just scratching his head and laughing a little. Normally Naruto would take the comment as offensive, but around Gaara, he understood the Shukaku boy meant him no harm… yet anyway.

Gaara turned his gaze to the rest of the group, his eyes resting on the dark haired girl. "Hyuuga Hinata desu ne?"

He startled the girl. She remembered what he had done during the Chuunin Exam 2 years back, when he mercilessly killed those ninjas in the forest. She almost took an involuntary step back until she remembered that Gaara was the reason why she and the rest of her cell could compete this year. She broke out into a large blush, bowing low, "H-h-hai. Dooz-zo yoroshik-k-ku."

Gaara gave her a look weird look, but bowed a bit himself, "Doozo yoroshiku." Being the son of the late Kazekage taught him about formalities and all of that jazz. He had also heard of Konoha's Hyuuga clan being very powerful, both in politics and in physical strength. Plus, she had earned his respect just as Naruto had during the 'fateful' Chuunin Exams.

The badger shinobi then turned to Naruto and Hinata's pink haired companion, "Haruno Sakura desu ne?"

"H-hai!" she got out. She wasn't as afraid as she had originally been, but that didn't mean that she couldn't still be a little fearful. He did try to take her life after all…

The red haired boy looked at her eyes then away from her guiltily and muttered, "Gomen."

Relief washed over her as she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. "Don't worry about it. What's in the past is done with."

The Sand shinobi then turned to Kiba, "And you are that ninja with the dog that was beaten by Naruto in the preliminary matches."

Kiba face faulted. He didn't know if he should feel insulted by the fact that Gaara didn't know his name or even more insulted by the fact he was only known as the 'ninja with the dog that was beaten by Naruto.' He looked over at Naruto who had started to laugh about it… _loudly_. He got pissed even more. "How come you know their names, but don't know mine?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Because _he_," Gaara points to Naruto, "has shouted _his_ and _their_ names many times during the Chuunin Exam," the red haired boy shrugged, "I guess you weren't worth shouting at."

Kiba's eye twitched as he stuck his hand out to the sand shinobi, "Kiba"

"Doozo yoroshiku." He said, taking the boy's hand and shaking it. Then Akamaru barked. "Doozo yoroshiku, Akamaru"

The dog boy's eye twitched again. "How do you know my dog-"

The red head gave him a you-are-being-annoying look. "You screamed his name a lot duringyour match as well."

Kiba looked like he wanted to shout at the sand demon boy, but Hinata jumped in quietly. "Now, now…" she smiled nervously, "G-Gaara-san… do we have a place to stay?"

"Yes. You will be staying with me and my siblings at our estate."

Sakura jumped in. "Why? Aren't participants from other countries usually supposed to be given hotel rooms and food while they stay?"

"Usually, yes, but I am only following a request from your Hokage. She said that there were a few… _reckless_ individuals in this team…" he looked over at Naruto and Kiba. "I also have to house your team because the Suna head council has no other place for your cell to sleep."

"Oh…" came from all of their mouths. The discussion ended there as they followed Gaara to his house- erm… mansion would be a better term. Had Naruto and Kiba not seen Hinata's house their mouths would have been on the ground like Sakura's was…

"Wow… Hinata, it's almost as big as your place." Naruto told the blue haired girl next to him. She blushed and turned away when she caught the questioning look from Kiba.

"Well it's about time you got here! But knowing the idiot on the team, it would take a while to explain things to him." A voice called out from the doors of the estate. It belonged to a man with long, spiky white hair dressed in hermit clothing. Before anyone else could question who that was, Naruto jumped up and pointed his finger accusingly at the man.

"ERO SENNIN!! What the hell are you doing here?!"

The rest of the reactions were so quick. Hinata stepped back and behind Naruto and Kiba. Kiba moved to cover Hinata and Sakura from the view of Jiraiya. Akamaru's fur rose on end defensively and Sakura's eye twitched as she began to transform into Inner Sakura. Kakashi just hung back with Gaara, waiting to see the 'fireworks' begin.

The old man walked over and bonked Naruto _HARD_ on the head, "Baka! I told you not to call me that in public. My name is Jiraiya! JI- RAI- YA!! You would think that even an idiot like you would get that through your thick skull after training under me for a year." He then turned to the other three in the foxy shinobi's company. "Excuse my idiot apprentice's rude behavior… He still needs training. I am the—"

"Yeah, yeah. Of the Legendary Sannin…. Blah, blah…greatest ninja… blah, blah…. Frog hermit… stop babies crying… blah, blah…." Naruto interrupted. He glared at the frog hermit. "Can't you come up with something more original, Ero Sennin?" The foxy shinobi then turned back to his friends, "This is the most perverted person ever alive besides Orochimaru-"

The older man's right eye twitched as he bashed Naruto in the head again. He then cleared his throat. "My name is Jiraiya. There's no need to fear me." Kiba looked at the man wearily.

Hinata bit her lip as if deciding something and then stepped out from behind the two boys and face Jiraiya. She then bowed and whispered out a "Ha-hajimemashite Jiraiya-sama." She then returned to her normal stance.

He smirked at the girl for her boldness. "You're a Hyuuga… the heir I believe."

She nodded, "Hyu-Hyuuga Hinata desu." She looked away.

Seeing Hinata introduce herself and not be violated, Sakura stepped up to the plate. Jiraiya looked the girl over; a look of recognition crossed his features. "You're Haruno Sakura, right?"

The pink haired kunoichi blinked and nodded dumbly. Sensing her confusion, Jiraiya explained. "That idiot over there talked about your cell all of the time; about you, the Uchiha kid, and even Kakashi. He just goes on and on…"

The frog hermit looked at Kiba expectantly. The doggy shinobi crossed his arms and looked away, "Inuzuka Kiba and this is Akamaru."

"Ah… the kid and dog that got beaten by Naruto in the preliminaries…" And Kiba face faulted. _Was that all they were known for?!_ Many growls escaped from the two partners… but before the could say anything….

Jiraiya's hands managed to find both Hinata and Sakura's behinds… and what happened next wasn't pretty. Vulgar language about perverts and the male gender in general were spewed… some comments louder than the others as Inner Sakura began to take control, but before the psychotic other personality of the cherry blossom could surface fully, Jiraiya was taken care of… by _Hinata_?!

As it turns out, after Jiraiya groped her, Hinata went into a frenzy. Her face heated up tremendously and then… she beat the crap out of her violator. She couldn't control herself. Out of pure shock and fear she continued to pound the old pervert into the ground. It was her subconscious defense mechanism. She was only stopped when Kiba and Naruto dragged her away from the bloody mess the once was Ero Sennin…

She struggled against the two boys, but after taking in many deep breaths and coming back to her senses, Hinata's eyes widened in shock. Her face became covered in a large blush again as she tried to shrink into her oversize coat. Everyone's eyes were on her… and she didn't like it one bit.

Everyone gaped at her in awe… Even Gaara's eyes widened a bit. The two boys let her go.

"Ah! G-go-gomen na-nasai." She whispered out as she bowed ridiculously low.

Silence reigned over group until Naruto, being Naruto, got tired of just staring at Hinata and walked over to where Jiraiya laid. He kicked the old man in his stomach… "Maybe that'll teach ya, Ero Sennin. You're lucky Obaachan's not here." He then turned to the embarrassed blue haired girl. "Great job Hinata!"

"That was even worse than what Temari did to him." Gaara stated, looking back and forth between Hinata and the bloody mess of a Sannin.

As if on cue, Temari and Kankuro (in some regular clothes) walked out of the large estate, "Gaara, what are you guys sti-" the Puppeteer's question stopped once he saw Jiraiya. "Gaara, I know he was annoying, but you didn't have to go and kill him!"

Gaara glared at his brother. "It wasn't me. It was her." He pointed at Hinata.

The brown hair shinobi of the sand looked over at the Hyuuga heir in disbelief…

Temari stepped up and looked at Hinata with a knowing look, "He groped you, didn't he?"

The heir of Hyuuga's face burned hotter as she did not answer. She didn't really need to. It was obvious by the way she was acting.

"Both of them… Just… Hinata seemed to react quicker… and everyone was too afraid to pull her away…" Kakashi said, eye crinkled, trying to find the right words for what had just happened… without upsetting Hinata. He knew he didn't want to be on her bad side. He knew that he would want to be able to have kids later on in life.

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After an hour or so, the old pervert recuperated from his wounds. "Why the heck are you here anyways, Ero Sennin?"

The old man smacked the blonde in the head again. "You really are stupid, aren't you? Do you not realize who is on your team?" he yelled at the foxy shinobi.

"Erm… Me, Sakura-chan, Hinata, and Kiba… and Kakashi-sensei if you count him. Why?"

Jiraiya sighed. "You have the heir of Hyuuga on your team, you dumb ass! Add to that the fact that you have people after you, Tsunade felt that your group would need extra protection than just Kakashi."

"People after Naruto?" Sakura questioned and Naruto stiffened slightly. Was he going to have to tell them about Kyuubi now?! He gulped and waited for the worse to come.

"Yeah. You expect Orochimaru (Kiba, Sakura, and Hinata draw in a sharp, shallow breath while the Sand trio stiffen at that name) to sit quietly after that idiot stole his Uchiha from him?" Jiraiya shook his head. "The only reason he hasn't gone after Naruto in the Leaf is because he knows better than to cross Tsunade while she has an alliance with Suna. After all he did kill their Kazekage."

Naruto let out a silence sigh of relief, one that went unnoticed by all except Kakashi and Hinata. While the grey haired jounin brushed off the sigh,it didn't bode well with Hinata.She wanted to question him, but if he was keeping it a secret, maybe it was best if she did not ask. He would tell her when he was ready, if he would be ever ready. She knew she had a specific secret that she would tell him when she was ready, but not now.

The foxy shinobi then put on his normal bravado and raised his fist in the air, "I dare him to try and come after me, that hebi bastard!" And then Jiraiya pounded Naruto in the head again and everyone laughed. Naruto hoped that everyone would drop the subject after that and they did.

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The sun was scorching hot the day of the exam. The troop from Konoha awoke early in the morning and changed into their new outfits due to the heat. Hinata replaced her normal conform jacket, with much reluctance, with a beige cape and turban, her normal purple ninja outfit under it. Sakura traded in her heavy cotton dress for a light red shirt and her dark green pants for light green shorts. Her whole outfit was covered in a light tan cloak and a large sombrero of the same color. Naruto lost his orange jacket and pants and black tee shirt for a pale blue tee shirt with fishnet around the collar and light orange shorts with a light amber poncho with hood on top. Lastly, Kiba sported a white tee shirt without sleeves and light brown shorts under a large, thin, light brown cloak with Akamaru under his large hat.

They arrived to the meeting place and found themselves facing a vast desert along with a vast amount of people there. The people were expected, the desert was not. The wind howled violently, throwing sand at the group. Hinata shrunk behind Naruto and Kiba as Sakura bit her lip uncertainly. Kiba and Naruto both gulped, but then went into their macho modes, ignoring the doubts that were plaguing their minds:

_ What were they in for? And who was their examiner? Were they going to be an energetic nut like that Anko chick or a bloodthirsty bastard like the guy from the last exam?_

Naruto blinked a few times. "Gaara? What are you doing here?" he asked the badger shinobi when he walked up to him, but Gaara just ignored him and walked away. The foxy shinobi closed his eyes in confusion as he scratched his head. _What was that all about?_, he thought as he walked about to his team.

The rest of the shinobi from the different villages quieted down as the red haired young man walked in front of them and created a platform of sand to stand on.

"I am Gaara of the Desert and I am the examiner for this test. This will be a simple search and rescue mission in the desert. One of the members of your cell will be the rescuee while the rest of you search for them. Use any means necessary to bring them back. Also, in the desert lay many natural and unnatural traps. Act as if this is a real mission. Kill only if necessary, we would like to keep casualties to a minimum." The red haired shinobi told the group in front of him. Behind him the wind of the desert whipped at his cape and roared loudly.

Hinata let out a breath she forgot she was holding. It was just a search and rescue mission. She had done many of them before. And they weren't promoting killing. Also a plus.

Gaara turned his back to the group, his voice becoming a bit more monotonous. "Before I forget, let me mention, the member of your team that is being rescued may have to be expendable to your troop."

"WHAT?! What the hell do you mean Gaara?" Naruto shouted incredulously at the red haired shinobi of the sand.

"I mean that if you do not complete your mission in the set time limit," He turned back to face the group with a murderous glint in his blank eyes, "I will kill the teammate you were supposed to rescue and your team shall not proceed." He stated simply. "I don't care how you chose, but chose and chose quickly. Otherwise leave. I have no patients for indecisive people."

The Konoha group looked between themselves and then away. Who would want to put their life in danger for a _chance_ at passing the first exam? What would the _next_ part of the exam be like? Naruto decided that since no one else was willing to volunteer, he might as well. "Well then I guess I-"

"I-I'll d-do it." Hinata managed to squeak out, her knees almost failing her. The rest of her team looked at her as if she had just grown another head.

"Hinata-san, we can't let you do that. You're the Heir of the Hyuuga clan. We can't put you in that kind of danger." Sakura told the dark haired girl.

"Hinata, are you sure? What if we don't make it in t-" The doggy shinobi turned towards the girl he considered his little sister.

She looked down at her feet, her fists clenched for a minute. She then looked the rest of her cell in their eyes, her voice was soft, but stern. "They asked for someone expendable. I can be replaced as heir." She looked away and began to play with her fingers, "Kiba-kun and Naruto-kun are great warriors that Konoha will need and Sakura-san is a very skilled medical nin and apprentice under Godaime-sama." She managed a small smile as she looked back up at the group, "Besides, I have complete faith in you all. I know my life is in safe hands."

"Hinata. I can't let you do this. What if something happens and we can't get there in time?" Kiba put his foot down. He expected her to back down like she normally did, but apparently he had forgotten that Naruto was standing right behind him and smiling encouragingly at Hinata.

Her eyes returned to the doggy shinobi in front of her as she tried to collect her thoughts and voice them. "Kiba-kun… I-I just want to be useful for once. I want to do something right…" She looked back up at him with a determined look, "Please Kiba-kun. Let me do this. It isn't your fault if something happens. I decided to do this on my own."

The dog boy looked at the blue haired young woman in awe… This must have been what she was like against Neji: this strong determination and stubbornness. He then looked towards Naruto and Sakura… even Akamaru for help. None was found. She did have a right to do what she wanted.

"Kiba, let Hinata do what she wants. She's a shinobi just like we are. You won't always be there to protect her."

"Look, you don't know anything, Naruto so stay out of this."

Sakura's eye twitched as she tried to control Inner Sakura from surfacing as she opened her mouth, "No, you don't know anything. Hinata-san is a kunoichi of Konoha! She doesn't need to protected and babied by some guy that lost to Naruto. She can take care of herself," Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the dog boy even more, "but I guess _you_ wouldn't know that since you were in the hospital during her match with Neji and with her fight against Lee-san. You may have been on her team before, but you missed all of her shining moments because _you_ were too weak to stay for her matches."

_Ouch_, Kiba thought. Not only did the statement undermine him, it also insulted his pride… and all he could do was take it seeing as it was true. He sighed. There was no way he was going to win this argument. _Damn_, he thought as he said, "I give. I hope you know what you're doing Hinata."

Her eyes lit up as she smiled at the boy. She then bowed low, "Thank you Kiba-kun." He just brushed her thanks away. It was her life after all, right? She didn't really need his permission.

"So it's settled!" Naruto said loudly. He then turned to the blue haired heir of Hyuuga, "Don't worry Hinata, we'll get there in time. Just wait for me, okay. I promise on my life!" He then flashed her a foxy grin and a thumbs up as Kiba scoffed.

"Let's get this over with already."the doggy boycomplained as his dog whined. The rest of the group followed him towards Gaara. The were handed forms, in which they had to sign in blood, saying the country of Suna would not be liable for death or injuries endured during the exam. They signed and stood at the cusp of the large sandy landscape.

Gaara came and took Hinata away. She was taken over to a booth where she was drugged and then taken away by some random Suna ninja into the desert. Now all that was left was for the gun to sound so that they could rescue their teammate.

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Merk… I made Sakura cool and nice in this chapter and then I made Kiba a butthead… blargle… I guess it can't be help… Girl power? O-o;

Anyways sorry for the late update… :P Out on Christmas though. I won my first fencing match as a starter! Yay! I'm on a roll. Erm… I'm ignoring what's happening in the current Naruto timeline after Sasuke and Naruto's fight… otherwise I'd have to rewrite parts of the story and I'm just too lazy for that… :P Sorry. I dunno if I can answer reviews anymore… so I'll just list those that have reviewed, kay!:

chibi kitsunes (confession… ha! Would have been a nice Christmas present though, ne? ) , Wormkaizer, Dragon Man 180 (only way Naruto would realize is if Hinata dumped ramen on herself… by accident of course…), A Reviewer (Thank you… I hope I improved a bit…), joekool, ximena-san, AkiaBinZaid, warprince2000, Jennifer Darknight (thanks! I love your story… so your review is also greatly appreciated!), KyLewin (Action… and we didn't even start the exam yet… o-o for Hinata anyways… ), Rune-Rune, Xoni Newcomer (Hanabi is so cool to me… that's why she's there. Plus you can't really mention Hinata seeing her father about doing something important without Hanabi there. And I get points! Yay!), Gupo, Stonebridge, nonengel, BrokenAngel ForgivenDevil, Songbird21 (O-o;;; my life has been threaten now… And I like your story too! :backs away slowly: ), Anonenity, violentlycheerful (o-O you reviewed 4 times… thanks! …and I get cookies! Yay!), Daniel of Lorien (the festival is on Naruto's birthday… the day Kyuubi was defeated…. O-o), and sioned.

Thanks everyone that reviewed and everyone that reads this story!! And Happy Holidays! Peace

-minimerc


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters.

**You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 8**

Kiba cursed. Maybe he shouldn't have given up so easily. It was just too risky to put Hinata's life on the line like that.

The time limit was fair: Two days.

The objective was easy: Rescue Hinata before time expires.

But what wasn't right was Gaara not telling them where the 'hostages' were taken. Stumbling blind is one thing. It's a whole other when it's in the scorching hot, vast desert with a short time limit. Damn Sand shinobi and their impatience.

So here were Naruto, Sakura, and Kiba, lost in the desert and the clock ticking.

"It goes on forever." Sakura stated her hand flat above her eyes, covering them from the sun. "If Hinata-san was here, she'd be able to use her Byakugan and tell us where to go."

"Che. And when I wanted her to stay, all you guys jumped down my throat" Kiba said, turning his head away.

"That was different. Hinata-san needs to make her own decisions; she's a kunoichi of Konoha. She doesn't need you to baby her." the pink haired girl told him, pointing her finger accusingly at him.

"You don't know anything..." the dog boy told her, turning his back to his two teammates.

That really ticked Sakura off. "What!"

Naruto looked over at the other boy. "Kiba, Sakura-chan's right. All you do is tell her to back down when things get too tough. Hinata's strong. Let her make her own choices."

Kiba turned around again, looking kinda angry. "Shut up, baka. I don't doubt Hinata's strong. I was on her team before both of you."

Sakura stepped in, "So then why-"

"Because I'd rather not see her get hurt."

"What a stupid thing to say. She's a shinobi!" the pink girl berated him. And she thought Naruto was dumb. At least he knows that ninjas get hurt all the time.

"So what? She's still Hinata. Sorry for not wanting to see someone I care for to get hurt. Do you like to see your teammates get hurt during missions?" he huffed as Akamaru barked in agreement.

Sakura blinked. _She'd never pegged Kiba for the caring type._

"What's done is done so stop arguing already. Besides, I have something better than the Byakugan!" Naruto bragged before biting into his finger. Once he drew blood, he swiped it against his palm and formed seal. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

As the smoke clear, only a small frog was left.

Kiba and Sakura both sweatdropped before smacking Naruto upside his head.

"Baka! After all those years of training and you still can't call a decent sized frog!" Inner Sakura surfaced as she glared at the foxy shinobi.

"Don't get our hopes up!" Kiba growled as Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Kid, where's my cookie?" Gamakichi said, hoping onto Naruto's head.

"Grr…Gamakichi, why are you here? I was calling your dad"

"I wanted to come out and play. Besides, I wanted a cookie."

--

She began to stir. As she tried to move her hands to wipe the sleepiness from her eyes, Hinata found that they were bound. In fact, she found her entire upper body was bound to what felt like a tree. She blinked away her weariness as she looked over her situation. She wasn't where she had expected to be.

There was no sand around her, only lush grass, tall palm trees, and a cool, inviting lake. It was an oasis. A beautiful one at that.

But this was not the time to think about that. She was tied to a tree after all, her life in the hands of her teammates as time ticked away. She struggled a little, trying to break free of her bondage, but found a nasty surprise.

_A nasty electric-like shock that is._

With an almost silent yelp, she stopped her attempts to break free… for now. As she laid back and closed her eyes, a small chuckle reached her ears.

"You are a smart one. Most of the other struggled until they were shocked unconscious."

Hinata's eyes flung open immediately as she gazed up at the man that approached her. "Gaara-san?!"

"It's my job. When you become conscious, you are allowed to ask me 3 questions."

She wanted to ask him, 'What do you mean,' but knowing of the Sand and their way of doing things, it would have counted as a question. She bit her lip as she concentrated on what to ask. After a short pause, she fixed her eyes on the red haired ninja and asked, "Why this kinda of exam? This isn't a survival mission, just a rescue one… Plus, one of the shinobi from each team is not being tested."

"This exam is used because it does force everyone from each team to be tested, not just rely on one person to do all the work while the others slack off."

Before she could catch herself, Hinata blurted out, "How is everyone being tested? One is captured, while the others find them."

He looked down at her with a small smirk. "Even Naruto or Lee could not reach this place in the set time limit if they are being weighted down by other teammates. The captured cannot rely on just being rescued. They must pull their own weight as well, or they will die."

Hinata's eyes widened. Of course. What kind of Chunnin exam test would not test everyone? Was she expecting just to do nothing and pass this test? No. Thanks to Gaara, she now knew what she had to do. She only has to find a way to do it.

She felt her heart pounding in her chest. One question left.

"How much time has passed?"

"Five hours." He said and then disappeared in a cloud of sand.

--

"Oi brat, behind you!" Gamakichi warned as a swarm of shuriken hurled their way towards Naruto's back.

The foxy shinobi dodges out of the way of most of he projectiles, blocking the rest with his kunai. He wants to fight these Sand nins, but they had more important things to do so….

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

50 Narutos appeared and took care of the opposing threat as he, Sakura, and Kiba continued to run forward.

They had been traveling in this direction for quite some time now with the number of enemy ninjas getting greater and greater… Guess they were on the right path, huh.

The sun was in west of the sky now, so Cell 7+8 knew that they needed to move faster. While they faced more enemies, they still could not see anything except the vast desert sands.

Suddenly, the sand beneath their feet began to shake and rumble, forcing them to fall to the ground. The sand beneath them seemed to explode as a large sand worm emerged. The screams of the injured ninjas fill the air as the sand creature indiscriminately rampaged. Many of the ninjas became puffs of smoke, proving that they were shadow clones, but some weren't.

Kiba, being the first one to regain his bearings, asked "So what do we do now?!"

His question brought everyone back from their initial terror. They looked from one another until all of their eyes landed on the small frog.

"Don't look at me." Gamakichi told him as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Damnit! Coward!" the foxy shinobi cursed after the young frog.

* * *

I know… I know… I've been taking too many lessons from Kakashi and Obito… Yeah. Lots of things have happened since my last update... A LOT OF THINGS... T-T

I'm so sorry everyone. With the death of NaruHina in the anime and manga for the longest time, I just stopped contributing to the NaruHina fandom like everyone else. It was stupid of me, really. I love this story and have been thinking about it everyday, but I just never sat down and wrote my thoughts down… Sorry. I'm a real idiot.

Thanks everyone that reviewed and has stuck with me to this point. I know I've probably killed a lot of you with the waiting… But I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want any updates, sneak peeks, or just to nag me into actually getting off of my lazy bum and start writing, I've got a live journal now! It's the homepage thingy on my profile page. Check it out. They beginning of this chapter has been there for a long time…

Also, anyone willing to suggest a new name for this fic? o-O I can't seem to think of one... Leave suggestions, if you want/can, in your reviews please. Thanks.

Also thank you to everyone that reviewed. You guys are great and actually got me to start writing this again. Sorry again for the long wait. I promise to update more often now… Oh yeah… almost 8 years on fanfiction . net!! Yay!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and/or its characters.

**You Don't Know My Name: Chapter 9**

She let out another sigh of frustration.

Hyuuga Hinata wasn't getting anywhere. She had been trying to escape for what seemed like forever. She found the sun was getting closer and closer to the western horizon.

This wasn't working. Each time she tried Kaiten, she only failed and injured herself more.

Of course if she was Neji, this would be no problem, she told herself. In fact, if she were any other Hyuuga, she could have escaped already. However, Hinata was Hinata. And Kaiten was not a move she excelled at. She found it hard to open all of the chakra holes she needed at once and always ended up overcompensating for it, depleting her chakra faster than a normal Kaiten would. But that was not the thing that was making it hard for her to escape.

Of course her countless attempts at using Kaiten were going to fail. She knew this before she even attempted. There was no way for her to gain momentum or begin the whirl while she was stuck to the tree. But, in a last ditch attempted, she had hoped that it would be her trump card.

She wanted to wallow about how useless she was, but there was no time for that. Her teammates were depending on her. _Her life was depending on her._

'If only there was something I could do…' she thought as she looked down at the pure chakra binding her to the tree.

Her mind traveled to her father and Neji. She had watched the two and their constant training matches which she would never be invited to join in. All she could do was bring them tea. She understood that training Neji was to benefit her because he was her protector, but the logic behind it all was wrong. She should also be able to defend herself.

Or, at least she and Neji felt that way. That was why he began training her in secret. Those countless hours of chakra exercises…

"_It saved my life to know the basics." Neji told Hinata as they finished up their training one day. He placed a hand gingerly over the wound he received while trying to bring Sasuke back. "Never forget that, Hinata-sama."_

Wait! _That's it! _

Neji had drilled these types of exercises into her head for a reason. How could she have gotten so caught up in the moment and forgotten them!

Hinata found a smile forming on her face. She could do this.

--

"Gaara, you bastard!! SANDWORMS?! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get us killed?!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs as he pulled his giant shuriken clone out of the remains of the poor, dead creature. The clone puffed out of existence as soon as it was free.

Naruto looked over at the rest of his teammates as they pulled themselves together. The destruction around them was not as bad as they had originally thought, but the sandworm was vicious. The sand ninjas that were attacked all turned out to be some type of bunshin or other, ranging from regular bushins, sand bushins, and kage bushins. It now made sense why some disappeared quickly when others took a few more hits before disappearing.

"Calm down, Naruto. Cursing Gaara isn't going to make our mission any easier." Sakura told him sternly as she shook the sand from her sombrero and then placed it back on her head. Although she shared Naruto's sentiments and hoped that fate would pay Gaara back one day.

Kiba was the only teammate who stayed quiet for the moment as he took a swig of water from his canteen. He offered some to Akamaru, who happily accepted the drink. "You guys should drink some water too. You won't be able to fight well dehydrated," he explained as he drank some more water.

Sakura was about to open her mouth to snap at him for telling her what to do, but stopped herself. Kiba was right. Being dehydrated would not help in their search for Hinata. It would only hinder them and probably kill them.

Again, Sakura was amazed by Kiba. She was slowly beginning to understand the caring aspect of his personality. While his actions could be taken as condescending, he was actually watching out for his team. Even if he wasn't very fond of her and Naruto, he would still watch out for them because they were a team.

But now was not the time to be reevaluating her perceptions of the dog carrying ninja. So she reached for her canteen as well and drank her fill before replacing the cap and screwing it on tightly. Naruto followed suit, giving a refreshed sigh when he was done.

Kiba stretched he body a little as he looked over at the other two."What should our next course of action be?" He figured he should ask since Sakura was the brains of this team and Naruto might just get carried away with the rescue part of the mission, forgetting to make a plan.

The pink haired kunoichi looked at him thoughtfully before providing her input. "Well, it would be best to travel and set up camp in the next few hours."

"But wouldn't that use up our daylight?" Naruto interjected. Didn't they understand that Hinata's life was at stake here?

Sakura sighed. She had almost forgot she was dealing with the world's number hyperactive ninja here."That's the point, Naruto. It would be better for us to move under the cover of night. It will be cooler and we can gauge our movements by the placement of the stars." As if to solidify her point, Sakura pulled out the star chart she and Hinata copied the night before.

Nodding his head to show he understood, Naruto then turned to look out at the vast desert that was in front of them."But where would we camp?"

Kiba moved in closer to the other two. "Akamaru has picked up the scent of an oasis a few miles away from here." Akamaru yipped twice to confirm Kiba's speech... or at least that was what Sakura and Naruto thought he was doing.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

--

Gaara watched, amused, from his perch a couple of meters away from where the Hyuuga heiress struggled with her binds. Many of the other shinobi had given up on escaping. Others had hurt themselves so badly that they could no longer move. But not this kunoichi. She was still going at it.

While it was not visible to the eye, Gaara could tell that she was expelling chakra from tenketsus in her body as the ropes around her slowly became looser and looser. She was trying not to draw attention to herself. Little did she know that she already had Gaara's.

He couldn't really explain it, but the Hyuuga heiress had always interested him. He remembered his first Chuunin Exam where he watched her beaten mercilessly by her older cousin. He also remembered how she would still continue to get up. It impressed him, to say the least. And impressing Gaara was a feat most could not achieve, especially at that time when he just thought of humans as food for his sand.

He didn't quite understand it at the time, but he felt like she was fighting for him. Her cousin had told her than she could never change fate, but she continued on. He called her weak, told her to give up, but she didn't. He almost felt as if she was fighting for him as well. Telling him that he did not have to be the monster everyone told him he was. But that feeling left after she was taken away to the medical ward.

_Then Naruto reminded him of that lesson after beating the Shukaku out of him... or rather vice versa._

Gaara focused his eyes back on Hinata as she managed to remove herself completely from the chakra ropes with a well timed Kawarimi no Jutsu, leaving a log the same size as her in her place before racing away from the oasis. He watched her leave before turning his attention back to the other victims left in his 'care.' He yawned a little before leaning back against the tree he occupied.

This was going to be another long, boring night.

--

Hinata ran at top speed through the desert. She had used her Byakugan to scout the area ahead of her in search of her team, but they still were no where in her range of vision. She couldn't even see Sunagakure from where she was.

She ran for a good hour and a half. As she gained enough distance away from the oasis she was held captive at, Hinata slowed her pace to a complete stop. She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly to calm herself down. She need to figure out where Sunagakure was and work from there to find her team.

She threw her head back and looked up at the sky. Night had already fallen, the chill penetrating the holes in her cloak that the chakra burns left. It was a clear, beautiful night as all the stars twinkled down at her. She gave them a slight smile before digging into her weapons pouch and pulling out a copy of a constellations chart she and Sakura had found the night before in Gaara's study. Both of the girls felt it would be useful to have this information because the trend of the Chuunin exams was to have a survival test somewhere in there.

After studying the map for a few minutes, the Hyuuga scanned the sky for familiar constellations. She found the Big and Little Dippers almost immediately followed by the North Star. She remembered that Sunagakure was in the southwest of the Wind Country. However, by the placement of the North Star and the little foliage around her, it seemed as if she was closer to the northern border with the Earth Country.

She plotted her course and began taking off again in the general direction of Sunagakure. Hinata looked up at the stars again as she ran. She prayed that the rest of her team would be okay and that she would find them soon. They would make it through this and she would not hold them back.

* * *

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter… I tried to make it longer than the last one. I seem to have gotten used to writing short fics again. Ah well.

You all know how well I am with updating and such… but I'll try to get a chapter out every 1-2 months. I wish I could say every 2 weeks, but a lot of things are going on with me and I don't have all that much time for writing.

Also, anyone willing to suggest a new name for this fic? o-O I can't seem to think of one... Leave suggestions, if you want/can, in your reviews please. Thanks.

Last, but not least, special thanks go out to Darth-Taisha, datubaman, Dragon Man 180, and Kai for reviewing the last chapter. Thanks so much and I hope you enjoyed this one too.

minimerc


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